Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
I sympathize with Mrs. Florence, widow of late former governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, who died last week. It feels bad to know that her husband was neglected when he was sick and his burial triggered unnecessary dirty politicking. But, the Ajimobis should not be too angry. Why? Because they only got served a fair dosage of their own medicine.
What do I mean? From Abia to Bayelsa, Cross River to Zamfara, Nigerians are neglected and watched to die by the class her husband belonged to when he was alive.
That no hospital could manage her husband’s health in the whole of Oyo State, reveals how her husband neglected the health of Oyo state people.
Had it not been so, there would be one, at least one hospital, good enough to treat her husband in Oyo, a state her husband ruled for eight years.
Even if Oyo State is the poorest state on earth, it has more than two fish and five loaves to own at least one hospital like the one in which Ajimobi died.
And, 8 years wasn’t too short for Ajimobi to build one just one good hospital in Oyo State.
So, Mrs. Ajimobi must be reminded that each time Ajimobi traveled to Lagos or abroad for medical treatment, there are hapless Nigerians who died of curable diseases from Shaki to Ibarapa, Igboho to Shepeteri, Oyo to Ogbomosho, etc, because of the bad health care system in the state.
It is true that Mrs. Ajimobi is not so broke to be expecting funds to take care of her husband from the state government. Even before her husband served as governor for 8 years he was a big man in the oil and gas industry. So Mrs. Ajimobi’s outburst was more of a call for empathy, care, and attention-seeking.
This is justifiable, however, Mrs. Ajimobi should not be angry that Oyo State government ignored her sick husband or played dirty politics with her husband’s burial. Politicians, including her late husband, played reckless politics with the lives and welfare of Nigerians. It is no big deal.
If Mrs. Ajimobi could imagine the damage and devastation of her husband’s failure to pay salaries caused in several homes across Oyo state, she would stop lamenting. There is no pointing reminding her of how LAUTECH was shut for close to a year under her husband’s watch.
The truth is all lives matter. What is good for Ajimobi, the former governor is good for Mufutau Eleran, what is good for Florence Ajimobi is good for Sikiratu, the widow of Adisa Tisa who served Oyo state for 35 years.
Bi ase bi eru la bomo! (Every child, slave or master, was born same way)
If Ajimobi deserved the best because he was a former governor of Oyo State, his legacies and what majority in Oyo State are saying about him should console Mrs. Ajimobi.
Obafemi Awolowo died about 30 years ago, yet his legacies are much alive.
Lamenting and crying that some vultures in power did not send “text messages” or check on her husband when he was sick is a waste of time and tears.
Death is inevitable “YES”.
We should prepare for it and this should be a good lesson for others that still have the opportunity to develop their various states and better the lives of the people.
May the soul of AKANJI rest in peace.